Supreme Court of Valruzia
The Supreme Court of Valruzia (in Valruzian: Sąd Najwyższy) is the highest federal court of Valruzia. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all regional courts and over state court cases involving issues of federal law, plus original jurisdiction over a small range of cases. In the legal system of Valruzia, the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of federal constitutional law, although it may only act within the context of a case in which it has jurisdiction. The Court consists of the Najwyższy Sędzia (Supreme Judge) of Valruzia, that represents the judicial power of the nation, and six Sędziowie Wyżsi (Senior Judges) who are nominated by the Minister of Justice, the regional governors or the Leader of the Opposition, and confirmed by the President. Once appointed, justices serve for a 20-year period unless they resign, retire, or are removed after impeachment (though no justice has ever been removed). In modern discourse, the justices are often categorized as having conservative, moderate, or liberal/progressist philosophies of law and of judicial interpretation. Each justice has one vote, and while many cases are decided unanimously, the highest profile cases often expose ideological beliefs that track with those philosophical or political categories. The Sąd meets in the Valruzian Supreme Court Building in Sztolniaty, Kampania. History The Supreme Court was created in 4467 with the approval of the Law on the Valruzian Supreme Court by Chancellor Dymitr Bojarski and Minister of Justice Maciej Kokot, soon after their party Forward Valruzia came to power after massive civil protests, as part of their electoral program in order to separate the judicial and executive powers in Valruzia. Composition Size The number of Magistrates of the Supreme Court is fixed at seven. Appointment and confirmation Magistrates are appointed for a non-renewable 20-years period. The Supreme Judge is to be appointed directly by the Minister of Justice at the time. Five of the other seats are to be fulfilled by the candidates elected by the Governors of the Valruzian provinces at the time, and the last seat is to be elected by the Leader of the Opposition at the time. Any member of the Supreme Court can be removed by a majority of 2/3 of the votes in the Sejm, and shall receive the approval of the Supreme Judge. If the one to be removed is the Supreme Judge, the affirmative vote of at least 2 Senior Judges is required. Also, if no member is appointed by the legal forms in a period of 5 years after the vacancy of the previous judge, the Ministry of Justice shall be responsible of the new appointment. In modern times, the confirmation process has attracted considerable attention from the press and advocacy groups. The Sejm Judiciary Committee conducts hearings and votes with a positive, negative or neutral report, although it doesn't have any veto power. Membership Current Justices Names in cursive correspond to appointments made by the Minister of Justice or the Marshall of the Sejm, if the political body designed to appoint the judge in the required period did not appoint any. Retired Justices They may be designated for temporary assignments to sit on lower regional courts. Such assignments are formally made by the Supreme Judge, on request of the Magistrate of the lower court and with the consent of the retired Justice. At the moment there is no alive retired justices. General elections near the times where one or more Magistrate are about to retire gain great significance for political parties, since they will be able to place a like-minded judge in the Court for the 20-year period. Time table * Number of women: 8 * Number of men: 6 Historical resolutions Category:National supreme courts Category:Government and politics of Valruzia